2. amps-preamps
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Are there any tube amps that don't give off any---

HEAT!! 
I have a very small dedicated listening room, and so I was wondering IF there are any tube amps..I guess hybrid or all tube ( although more all tube)- that simply give off NO heat or very very little heat after full warm up. Since the climate seems to be getting hotter, it would be nice to have the benefits of a tube amp with no heat whatsoever. ( is this even possible?). 
Running AC isn't my preferred way of listening in a small room, so this question is now on my mind. I do not want to consider Class D solid state amps...as I know they are an option from a heat perspective...but just tubes.
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Showing 2 responses by jaytor

jaytor's avatar
jaytor
747 posts
 
You could consider a class D amp with a tube input buffer. The Purifi modules add very little of their own sound signature, but require a front-end driver board to provide some gain and impedance matching. There are a couple of companies that make amps using these modules (which are very efficient) that use a triode-based front end.

https://vtvamplifier.com/product/vtv-amplifier-stereo-purifi-audio-1et400a-amplifier-with-vtv-vacuum...

ATM makes an Korg NuTube based input buffer. I assume they make a complete amp that uses this buffer, but I don't know the model. The ATM buffer seems a bit pricey for what it is, but it might sound good. 

https://atm-audio.com/product/buffer-korg-nutube-for-hypex-nc500-and-purifi-audio-1et400-v2/

I haven't heard either of these, but have heard an amp using the Purifi module and it is very clean and detailed.

jaytor's avatar
jaytor
747 posts
 
Yes, the Purifi module is class D and I agree that class D amps can sound too sterile. I had an NCore based class-D amp previously and that is how I would describe it.

However, the sound signature of amps based on the newer modules (particularly the Purifi) are going to depend more on the input driver design than the class D module. The Purifi module has vanishingly low noise and distortion, but limited gain (as well as low input impedance), so a front-end driver is required in most situations.

I believe (although I haven't personally heard) that the right input driver can create a sonic signature that is pretty similar to whatever you're looking for. I could be wrong, but I'm giving this a try myself by building a set of DIY monoblocks using the Purifi module so that I can experiment with different buffer/drivers. I'm planning to build (or buy) a few different options to see what works best in my system, including building a triode-based buffer. 

The VTV amp I linked to above uses a triode buffer that looks interesting, but I think I'm going to design and build my own. 

I think VTV has a pretty liberal return policy, so if it seemed like it might work for you, you could give it a try.
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